This is the first of our Themed Open Mics. For this June reading during the first half of the evening we’d like to hear poems about any aspect of SUMMER. If you haven’t written a summer poem, you still have time to write one—or share a favourite by another poet.

The Monday, May 4th Blue Moon Reading held a triple treat for all who attended. Three young poets shared their work in 15 minute segments that many of us wished would go on longer.

Olivia Sharpe was the first of our guest readers. Her existential poems were full of interesting and original imagery that linked nature to memories of childhood, school, and her present life. There was hope. There was love. There was self-acceptance, family and a broccoli farm. Her pleasing image of faithless clouds contrasted to the faithful sun is still floating around in my head many days later. Thank you, Olivia, for sharing yourself and your poems with us!

Olivia Sharpe reads at the May 4, 2015 FVPS Blue Moon Reading

Mackenzie Lee, our second reader, read poems on the theme of seasons. Her poem about the library contained fabulous lines and certainly warmed the cockles of this bibliophile’s heart. She also has keen senses when it comes to nature, sharing poems about wind, water and light, and bringing people and relationships into them with skill and originality. Thank you, Mackenzie, for your most enjoyable presentation!

Mackenzie Lee reads at the May 4, 2015 FVPS Blue Moon Reading

Open mic readings were sprinkled between the guest readings. We enjoyed the usual variety that included a light poem about a lobster by Ted, poems about his father by Alvin, a poem in the voice of a resident of a senior’s complex by Terry, a couple of poems read from A Familiar Shore by Emily, a poem in memory of Rinelle Harper by Shelley—and many more!

Some of the FVPS Open Mic readers – May 4, 2015 Blue Moon Reading

Our final reader, Adriel Brandt was definitely icing on the cake. He read poems of nature and to nature. I don’t think I’ll ever look at a crow the same way after hearing his three-part ode to this evil, versus mysterious, versus magical bird. He also shared a poem about a library (I’m sure I saw our host room glow) and capped off his reading with a spoken-word-type performance of “I’ve got time” (well, I’m not sure that’s what it was called, but the line “I’ve got time” kept recurring). Thank you, Adriel for your stellar reading and performance!

Adriel Brandt – reading at the FVPS Blue Moon Reading May 4, 2015

Now mark you calendar for our next reading night at the usual time and place:

President Brayden Sawatzky began our April 13th reading by recognizing the achievements of two members. Emily Isaacson and Surjeet Kalsey were both honoured at Abbotsford’s recent Arty Awards. Emily Isaacson was nominated for the Christine Caldwell Outstanding Arts Advocate and Surjeet Kalsey won the award for Outstanding Artist in the Literary Arts. Ted Goodrich presented Surjeet with a framed portrait, photographed during the award night celebrations.

The Blue Moon Reading portion of the evening featured the anthology Borrowed Gardens. Violet Nesdoly was the featured reader. She read from all four sections of the book—poems by three Vancouver area women (Jeannine Bertoia, Del McNulty, and Tracie Fisher)—as well as a few poems of her own.

The always welcome time of refreshment was followed by an open mic where seven poets read their work—poems that ranged from sea fantasies, to memories of working in a nursing home and studies of interesting characters.

Thanks to all who came out and made this a fun and memorable evening!

Our next Blue Moon Reading is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for May 4th, when three guests Adriel Brandt, Mackenzie Lee and Olivia Sharpe will share their poetry with us.

One idea is to attend a poetry reading. Fraser Valley Poets Society’s April event is a Blue Moon Reading on Monday, April 13th.

The featured reader that night is Violet Nesdoly, reading from Borrowed Gardens, an anthology of personal poetry by four Vancouver area writers: Jeannine Bertoia, Del McNulty, Tracie Fisher and Nesdoly.

Bertoia and Fisher have both had haiku honoured in Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. A poem by McNulty won the top poetry prize of the 2010 Surrey International Writers Conference contest. Come and meet these fine poets through their writing.

Emily Pohl-Weary was our guest and featured Blue Moon reader on Monday, March 23rd. She began the evening with a short introduction and show-and-tell of the many projects in which she’s been involved over her years of writing as a member of Toronto’s literary community.

Then she told of a shooting in her Toronto neighbourhood in 2006 that touched her and the lives of those close to her.

We listened spellbound to the poetry in Ghost Sick, the book of poems she published earlier this year, which delves into the numbness, shock, disbelief, outrage, and eventual return to equilibrium she experienced as she worked through this tragedy. Her “poetry of witness” was raw, moving, and challenged me, and I’m sure many of us, to be more vulnerable, honest, and transparent in our own writing.

March 23 Blue Moon Reading with Emily Pohl-Weary

Coffee and chatting was followed by the workshop part of the evening. After some periods of silence, broken only by the sound of scribbling pens and a few groans, we ended the program on a light note by reading our list poem creations.

Thanks so much, Emily, for a most enjoyable and interesting evening!

~**~**~**~

We meet on April 13th for our next Blue Moon Event.

I (Violet Nesdoly) am the featured reader that night. I’m excited to introduce three poet friends with whom I’ve worked for seven years. Though none of them will be with us in person, I’ll be reading their poems and a few of mine from the anthology Borrowed Gardens that we published jointly in December of 2014.

There will be an open mic following the Blue Moon feature. Everyone is welcome to this free event.